Associate Professor andrew Legg

Biography

Andrew has established an international reputation, performing with some of the most respected gospel choirs and artists in the USA, including Take 6, Kristian Dentley, Myron Butler, Dr James Abbington and the late Dr Horace Boyer. In 1997 Andrew was invited to the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) in Cincinnati as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations, where he performed as a featured artist and lecturer in gospel piano. Twelve months later he returned as director of music for the Bud Williams Revival concert series in Atlanta, Georgia. He has performed to critical acclaim in concerts and gospel churches throughout the USA, including Dallas, Detroit, Boston and Atlanta, and as a member of the Detroit chapter of the GMWA. Andrew was honoured to collaborate with the late Dr Horace Clarence Boyer from Massachusetts, an acknowledged authority on African American gospel music and highly respected educator, academic and author, composer, gospel singer and choral director. Andrew gained his PhD in African American gospel music in August 2008, having worked closely with Dr Boyer for over 10 years. Boyer acted as chief research supervisor for Andrew's PhD, which examined the nature, place and function of gospel music in Australian culture. Andrew has performed sell-out concerts with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, toured widely with the Southern Gospel Choir, and was one of four featured artists (along with Paul Grabovsky, Gabrielle Smart and John Cale) in the Eight Hands: Variations on the Theme Piano concert at the MONA FOMA Festival in January 2008. Andrew continues his longstanding relationship with Grammy award-winning gospel artist and Choral Director at the Potter's House, Myron Butler (God's Property, Kirk Franklin, Levi) and the two have formed a song writing and production team which has produced two award-winning songs in 2009/10 in Australia (My Forever Friend and Amazing Grace). Together they have become the leading gospel choral workshop team underpinning the internationally successful Festival of Voices, and have just completed their first major joint DVD release (Brighter Day) with the Southern Gospel Choir. Andrew has now become Butler's principal supervisor for his PhD. Andrew has recently completed a sell-out tour of the US with the Southern Gospel Choir, supported by Kristian Dently and Myron Butler. They performed to capacity audiences of more than 20,000 at the Potter's House in Dallas, and then across the Southern USA, including Alabama, Georgia, before finally heading to Los Angeles. The Potter's House performance was broadcast live to a worldwide audience of more than 5 million people.

Research Interest

Andrew's research contributes to the University of Tasmania's Research Theme of Creativity, Culture and Society, through enhancing understanding of Australian and global cultures and communities, as well as equipping society to be innovative and embrace change.